(LEBANON, Ill., Oct. 13) – The McKendree University women's soccer team will head west this weekend in hopes of extending their current three-game winning streak. The Bearcats will visit Kansas City, Mo. on Friday as the underdogs in a 5 p.m. matchup against Rockhurst University. McKendree will conclude weekend play by squaring off against William Jewell College Sunday at noon in Liberty, Mo.

McKendree enters the weekend with an overall record of 10-3 and a 7-3 mark in the GLVC and currently ranks 10^th in the latest NSCAA Midwest Regional polls. McKendree registered three shutout victories last week with wins over GLVC opponents Missouri S&T (2-0) and Drury (4-0). The Bearcats also posted a 3-0 non-conference victory to start the week over Lindenwood University-Belleville.

The three victories match a season high three-game winning streak and also captured the best start at Leemon Field, 8-1, since the 2010 season. Winning six of its last seven matches, McKendree has secured five shutouts during the two-week stretch.

SCOUTING THE HAWKS: Rockhurst University enters the weekend in third place of the current GLVC standings. The Hawks, who received votes in the week six NSCCAA national polls, holds an 10-1-2 overall record and 7-1-2 mark in the GLVC. Lead in scoring by Kaley Neiters with five goals and two assists for 12 points, the Hawks' balanced attack has captured four victories in their last six matches. Adding to the balanced offense of 11 different scorers is Courtney Silberberg with four goals, Brandi Vollmer with three goals and three assists, and Meghan Kilkenny leads the squad with six assists. Working a two-goalkeeper system, Ali Wallner and Rosie Breheny have only allowed a combined five goals this season and goals-against average of 0.37.

Last meeting:  September 20, 2015. The Bearcats would record the only goal in a match played at Leemon Field. Danielle Hareb (Flatbush, New Zealand/Mount Albert) would find the back of the net off an assist from Chelsea Whittaker (Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand/St Hilda's Collegiate School) to secure a 1-0 victory. The Bearcats would be out shot 17-12. In net Taylor Zerbe (St. Louis, Mo./Trinity Catholic) collected nine saves for the Bearcats while Rockhurst's Caitlin Winschel had three.

All-Time Record vs. RU: 1-3
 
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: William Jewell College enters the weekend with a conference-low five goals scored and have dropped five of their last six matches. The Cardinals are 2-8-2 overall with a 2-7-1 mark in the GLVC. Senior Natalie Owens leads the team in scoring with two goals, while Emily Monroe adds a goal and assist. Junior midfielder Aspen Hawkins has recorded a team-high two assists. In net Jordan Lewis has recorded 61 saves on 169 shots face (81.3%) in 939 minutes of action.

Last meeting: September 18, 2015. McKendree would see three different goal scorers in the first half as McKendree took a 4-0 lead into the break. William Jewell's comeback efforts would fall short despite goals in the 67th and 74th minute. McKendree would lead the shot battle 20-7 with 13 shots on goal in the 4-2 victory.

All-Time Record vs. WJC: 8-3-3
 
GLVC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:  Freshman goalkeeper Zoe Brochu (Ajax, Ontario, Canada/Pickering ) was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference defense player of the week. Brochu posted 2.5 shutouts over 266:06 minutes of play last week, while collecting 11 saves on 21 shots. This is McKendree's first-ever Defense Player of the Week Award since joining the GLVC in 2012.

CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL LEADERS: Sophomore Sydnee Carroll (Millstadt, IL/Belleville West) ranks among the top scorers in the NCAA Division II. Carroll, who currently leads the GLVC in goals scored with 13, also ranks sixth in the nation. Nationally, Carroll leads all NCAA Division II players with seven game-winning goals. Carroll ranks seventh in the nation in points with 29.

Other statistical leaders include Chelsea Whittaker (Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand/St Hilda's Collegiate School), who is fourth in the conference with five assists. Freshman goalkeeper Zoe Brochu (Ajax, Ontario, Canada/Pickering ) is sixth in the conference with 58 saves and second in shutouts with six.

As a team, McKendree ranks first in the conference and 10th in the nation in assists (26) and points (88). The Bearcats also rank ninth in the nation and first in the conference for goals scored (31).

GLVC TOURNAMENT WATCH: With five matches remaining in conference regular-season play, the Bearcats are looking to claim their third GLVC tournament appearance in four years.  With a 7-3 conference record, McKendree currently sit in fifth place of the GLVC standings. The top eight teams in the conference will advance to play in the 2016 GLVC Women's Soccer Championship. Quarterfinal matches will be played on October 30 at the higher seed before the final four will play at Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis on November 4 and 6.

THIS DAY IN BEARCAT HISTORY: October 14, 2008. No. 19 McKendree would post a 6-1 road victory over Missouri Baptist. In the match midfielder standout Theresa Kaiser, sister of current midfielder Liz Kaiser (St. Louis, MO/Ursuline), nabbed three assists while Sarah Ryan and Katelyn Cleveland both netted a pair of goals. During the 2008 campaign McKendree would capture their sixth straight American Midwest Conference championship with a 5-0 win over William Woods University. Tim Strange's squad would finish the season with an overall record 19-2-1 after a loss to Lindsey Wilson College in the second round of the NAIA Women's Soccer Championship. The 19 wins currently hold as the most single-season wins in program history.